Human
"To err is human" - Alexander Pope, 1711 Humans are one of the primary species in the galaxy. A sentient, bipedal, mammalian species with bilateral symmetry originating from the continental planet Earth in the Sol system. They are one of the most rapidly expanding and developing races in the galaxy, and can be commonly encountered throughout the galaxy. Humans were the only surviving race of several sentient/intelligent species to have evolved from the Genus Homo. Species that bear structural resemblance to humans are referred to as "humanoids." Human society encourages and thrives on individual freedoms and cultural differences - as a result, humans tend to integrate well with alien populations. Despite this, they have strong martial traditions (produced by millennia of intermittent warfare on their homeworld) and therefore can sometimes be aggressive and unpredictable. Today the interplanetary human population is estimated to be near 64.4 billion. History Humanity first began forays into the universe in the mid twentieth century, first by launching primitive satellites into low orbit, then sending humans into orbit. About 25 years after the first unmanned craft was launched from Earth, humans first made the journey to the nearest celestial body to Earth, the Moon in 1969. Trips to and from the Moon occurred for a decade. Humanity then set up an international association dedicated to fund and build an international space station in low earth orbit. Nearly a century after mankind first landed on the moon, a manned expedition to Mars was achieved in 2066 with the landing of the crew of the Ares V. The first successful expedition to establish a permanent off-world colony, it consisted of an international coalition of 100 colonists aboard the Ares Spacecraft. After proving the economic viability of spaceflight, private corporations grouped together and built interstellar vessels such as the ISV Liberty, which allowed the human race to rapidly expand to other star systems, such as the Helios System, and explore their planets and moons over the course of the 22nd and 23rd centuries. Biology Bilaterally symmetrical bipedal primates, Humans are a warm-blooded humanoid species with two hands and two feet, each of which has five digits. The Human hand features an opposable thumb and their fingers have multiple points of articulation. They have two sexes, as was common to many humanoid species. The female of the species was fertile once a month after she reached puberty until the onset of a biochemical stage known as menopause. Human gestation is around nine months. The make-up of Human DNA structure is significant, as, with some modifications, they are capable of interbreeding successfully with a wide range of other species across the galaxy, including ... Humans have a fairly robust physiology. Their internal makeup and reproductive processes are typical of most bipedal mammals, and their size and proportions give the appearance of being strong, fast and agile. Humans have highly developed brains capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection and problem solving. They typically live between 150 and 200 years, and recent medical advances have eradicated almost all known diseases that afflict them. However, as humans only emerged on the galactic stage within recent years, it is highly likely that the introduction of new technology into their society will greatly increase their average lifespan. Humans reach physical maturity at approximately eighteen years of age, at which point they have usually finished their academic education and either directly enter the workforce or begin training for a profession. It has been noted that humans are unusual in the galactic community because they have far greater genetic diversity compared to other species with more peaks and valleys. This makes human genetic material useful in biological experiments, as a control group. Despite the substantial genetic diversity of humans, certain physical traits have been becoming more rare ever since the 20th century, when the mixing of different Earth ethnicities, due to social progression and acceptance, became more commonplace. To this end, with the merging of genetics, certain traits have declined in frequency. Recessive physical traits like blonde and red hair, as well as blue and green eyes, have become increasingly rare. Culture Humans are defined by an heuristic, idealistic, and innovative culture. Humans have no true special or extraordinary qualities and are deemed average in both a technological and physical sense. Human adaptability and their strong tradition of innovation and cooperation have brought them to the forefront of the current galactic stage, and allowed for rapid interstellar colonisation as well as advancements in science, technology and sociology. However, the tumultuous nature and many contradictions inherent human society has also resulted in considerable challenges and conflict. In the isolated, primitive colonies of the human frontier, past traditions brought by culturally and geographically homogeneous blocks of colonists compete with the cultural pragmatism demanded of frontier life. In addition, humanity's discovery of extraterrestrial life and rapid entrance on to the galactic stage has resulted in major social upheaval and cultural exchange. Fashion, speech, sport, family life, spirituality, cuisine, and political views are constantly changing in the face of this turmoil. For species that were steeped in tradition and genealogical reverence as the basis of their societies, such as the X, the human fascination with the novel experience and their unending desire to innovate and explore, to discover for the sake of discovery, were all difficult concepts to grasp. Government The United Nations of Earth, also called the United Nations (UN) is a sovereign federation of formerly-independent nation-states that spans across several territories within the Sol system and Milky Way galaxy. It was founded in 1945 after World War II as an international organisation facilitating cooperation in, among other areas, international law. Throughout the 21st century, Earth's national governments were on a continuous decrease in administrative power. After the damage done to the planet's ecosystem reached extreme levels, the nations of Earth decided to finally put aside their individual interests and differences and achieve global unification. The UN Secretariat subsequently became the executive leader of all humanity. The Security Council is the utmost executive branch and is formed of the Secretary-General and their immediate subordinates. The UNSC interacts with elements beyond Earth's sphere of control, such as extraterrestrial settlements in the outer planets, as well as independent interstellar colonies.